Navigation & Audio R56 speaker replacement how-to
#101
#104
#105
Sub install complete!
After 2 days of work I have my sub installed. It's a boston acoustic's 10" powered by a rockford fosgate 300.1 amp.
First - it can go much too loud. As in it can overpower the focals I have up front. After turning the gain on the amp way down it sounds much more balanced. I'm using no where near the full power of the amp.
Second - it is very stealth. So now I go and tell the whole world on the internet about it haha. The box is half fiberglass/half wood and all carpeted. It creates a false floor that is level with the ledge under the back seat rests. The whole top is carpeted with carpet that very closely matches the stock carpet so a casual glimpse into my boot wouldn't reveal anything out of the ordinary.The only clue is a circle of carpet in the middle of the floor (which you'll see when I post pics). It takes up very little stowage space. Above the speaker is a heavy duty carpeted wire mesh (that is reason for the circle of carpet) that is capable of holding a good bit of weight.The amp is tucked into the passenger side compartment in the boot. It fit pretty well.
The sound is really good. I still have some more fine tuning to do with the gain and crossover settings but I'm pretty happy the way it is. Acoustic bass is clear and clean, bass drums thump hard, and electronic bass rumbles the car.
I'll be posting pics tomorrow as it's dark outside now.
The shop who made it for me is willing to mass market the box if they get enough interest. He has all the templates he needs to reproduce them. Give me PM if you want the contact info. It'll probably be about the same price as the JL stealth box alot of 1st gen people use. It has about .7 cubic feet of airspace.
The only thing I could ask for now to make it better is a remote to adjust the amp gain - luckily the amp I'm using has one available and I'll probably get it eventually. Some songs like more bass than others.
First - it can go much too loud. As in it can overpower the focals I have up front. After turning the gain on the amp way down it sounds much more balanced. I'm using no where near the full power of the amp.
Second - it is very stealth. So now I go and tell the whole world on the internet about it haha. The box is half fiberglass/half wood and all carpeted. It creates a false floor that is level with the ledge under the back seat rests. The whole top is carpeted with carpet that very closely matches the stock carpet so a casual glimpse into my boot wouldn't reveal anything out of the ordinary.The only clue is a circle of carpet in the middle of the floor (which you'll see when I post pics). It takes up very little stowage space. Above the speaker is a heavy duty carpeted wire mesh (that is reason for the circle of carpet) that is capable of holding a good bit of weight.The amp is tucked into the passenger side compartment in the boot. It fit pretty well.
The sound is really good. I still have some more fine tuning to do with the gain and crossover settings but I'm pretty happy the way it is. Acoustic bass is clear and clean, bass drums thump hard, and electronic bass rumbles the car.
I'll be posting pics tomorrow as it's dark outside now.
The shop who made it for me is willing to mass market the box if they get enough interest. He has all the templates he needs to reproduce them. Give me PM if you want the contact info. It'll probably be about the same price as the JL stealth box alot of 1st gen people use. It has about .7 cubic feet of airspace.
The only thing I could ask for now to make it better is a remote to adjust the amp gain - luckily the amp I'm using has one available and I'll probably get it eventually. Some songs like more bass than others.
#106
#107
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Dose this apply to the stock boost systems front speakers too? if so that would be awesome, i would really like to replace the stock front two with higher end ones, anyone know if after market speakers will hook right up to the minis plugs for the speakers? if anyone has other pics that he left out that would be great, other than that great job.
#109
Dose this apply to the stock boost systems front speakers too? if so that would be awesome, i would really like to replace the stock front two with higher end ones, anyone know if after market speakers will hook right up to the minis plugs for the speakers? if anyone has other pics that he left out that would be great, other than that great job.
THanks =)
#110
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MM,
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks
#111
#112
#113
MM,
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks
The focal crossovers are mounted under the dash.
I keep the fader on my radio at about 4 bars to the front for a couple reasons. One is that I want to keep the sound stage up front. The other is at high volume with the fader in the middle the stock amp runs out of juice to feed the 6x9's and the SQ from them goes down. So the 6x9's are mainly just for a little rear fill and if I have passengers sitting in the back seat.
The Boston G1 10" calls for a minimum of .5' airspace. The box I have has about .7'
now a false floor under the passenger seat would be extremely tight. Maybe could make one for a high quality 6" sub.
Last edited by MotorMouth; 07-10-2007 at 11:21 AM.
#114
Easy. There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.
#116
Anyone know of a 6x9 sub? It would be great if the rear 6x9 enclosures are sealed. You could have a nice front stage and 2 subs in the back with a single 4 channel amp.
As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.
As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.
#117
Anyone know of a 6x9 sub? It would be great if the rear 6x9 enclosures are sealed. You could have a nice front stage and 2 subs in the back with a single 4 channel amp.
As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.
As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.
There are probably some good 6x9's out there for bass but you might be better off making a round speaker fit.
The biggest problem I see with the tn-52 tweet is that you can't buy it as part of the polyglass line. You have to buy it seperately (and more expensively). I'm don't know for sure on this but the tn-52 may not fit the factory tweeter cup. The tn-47 fit pretty well.
I put the tweets crossover on -6db and the tweet is fine. It was pretty bright on the -3 setting though. At 0db it overpowered everything else.
I'd love to put in a set of Utopias (or even the polykevlars) but there is no way the bass driver and midrange would fit in the stock locations.
#118
Sat, put focals in the front, access 100 a-1, (rational price) and polyglass 165 cv-1s into my boost system. Kept the 165 crossovers at +3 as they were at my feet, but 0 may have been better. Crossovers for the 165s to door impact beam w/ tape and zip ties. Awesome clarity across the sound stage and adequate power, tho I'm listening with the car sealed up. Minimal dremeling for speaker placement, mirror control a pita, not for inability to get it put back together, but just to get it in the space period. Dremeled lots of little things back there, even the 100 a-1. Def no room for the rubber protector for the 4" magnet.
And who at MINI decided to make the R front lower (+) w/ a brown color wire? Brown is ground in every german car I've mucked with for the last 20 yrs. Had to take the R door apart after noticing the wiring snafu.
Great morning's work. Still unsure about the fronts needing a new amp, at least for now. I know it'll sound better, but the cost/benefit/'letting someoneelse do it' ratios are not clear for me so far.
Thanks to everyone's "doing it first" and making my install so easy.
And who at MINI decided to make the R front lower (+) w/ a brown color wire? Brown is ground in every german car I've mucked with for the last 20 yrs. Had to take the R door apart after noticing the wiring snafu.
Great morning's work. Still unsure about the fronts needing a new amp, at least for now. I know it'll sound better, but the cost/benefit/'letting someoneelse do it' ratios are not clear for me so far.
Thanks to everyone's "doing it first" and making my install so easy.
#119
I have a set of Focal K2P's with the 6.5's having a mounting depth of 3", so, I am optimistic there will fit. I'm a bit worried about the tweeter though, it seems a bit largish to fit behind the stock tweeter locations. Will report soon. ;-)
#120
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865-223-6335
OutMotoring.com: Home of the finest MINI and Aston Martin Parts + Accessories.
Shop online at www.OutMotoring.com
Free Shipping on most orders over $195 Click HERE
#121
Let me know if you get them to fit. If you do I'll be swapping speakers between my truck and MINI.
#124
Easy. There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.
#125
Easy. There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.